(1) Player began as a chance meeting between Peter Beckett and J.C. Crowley, in 1977. They met by coincidence, both being the only two dressed in jeans and t-shirts, attending an all-white garb party in Hollywood. J.C. came from Galveston Bay, Texas. Oddly enough, they both turned out to be singer/songwriters, and made plans to get together later and jam. In J.C.’s garage, they began working on their new material, adding Ronn Moss(bass) and John Friesen(drums) to the band. Ronn Moss had formerly been in the bands Fable Airship, Punk Rock and Count Zeppelin. John Friesen had toured with the Ice Follies as a drummer, percussionist, and musical director. Both had been in a high school band together. The bands style of music developed into mainstream soft pop/rock, with mellow keyboards and layered harmonies. This seemed to fit right in with the breezy sounds of L.A at the time.
They began playing bars and gigs to perfect their playing skills. Their potential managers took them around to different producer’s offices to play live, lugging their guitars and amps. The band’s theory was that “a demo tape can be thrown on a shelf and forgotten, where as a live band wouldn’t fit.” They eventually ended up at the office of Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter, successful songwriters and owners of a new production company called Haven Records. Lambert and Potter liked what they heard and took the guys into the studio to record a few songs. Based on these tracks alone, Lambert and Potter were impressed, but Haven Records had since then folded. They then collaborated with the owner of RSO Records, Robert Stigwood, and got the band, still nameless, signed to a record deal.
The matter of a band name was resolved while watching a movie on television. They saw the end credits list the film cast as “players”, and so they dropped the “s” to become Player. The band also added keyboard/sythesizer player Wayne Cook, former band member of Steppenwolf(1976). A few short months later, with massive radio play, Player had an international number one hit single called ‘Baby Come Back’. This song came about when Peter Beckett had just split from someone he had been in a relationship with for a long time. Still feeling the sting, he sat down with J.C. Crowley, to write, and their moods came out in the song ‘Baby Come Back’. This song broke on the radio in October of 1977 and reached number one early January 1978.
Player was voted by Billboard Magazine’s honor roll as Best New Single Artist for 1978. ‘Baby Come Back’ was immediately followed by their top ten hit, ‘This Time I’m In It For Love’. Both songs appeared on their self-titled, debut album, Player.
In 1978, they released a second album also on RSO, called Danger Zone. This album produced the hit singles ‘Prisoner Of Your Love’, which made the top 40 list, and ‘Silverlining’. Where their first album captured the sunny sound of California pop, Danger Zone illustrated the band’s progressive pop/rock side with heavier guitars pushed to the front.
The band then continued to tour bigger arenas with Eric Clapton, Heart, and Kenny Loggins, as well as headlining at smaller venues.
RSO wanted Player to harden up their image, putting them on tours with hard rock bands. Peter was quoted later as saying that “this could have probably been their biggest mistake, and that Player may have still been around today if not for that.”
Not soon after the tour ended, J.C.Crowley left the band to start a new career in country music.
Departing RSO, Player then signed with Casablanca Records, releasing their third album, Room with a View, in 1980, which Peter co-produced with Tony Peluso. From this album came the top forty hit ‘It’s For You’. Room with a View was a combination of soft, romantic melodies, such as ‘Bad News Travels Fast’, and heavier rock tunes, such as ‘Tip Of The Iceberg’.
By the end of this tour, Ronn Moss’ focus had now shifted to acting, and he quit the band to make films in Italy.
By 1982, Peter Beckett and Dennis Lambert collaborated on the release of Player's fourth LP, Spies of Life, on RCA Records. From that album came the single ‘If Looks Could Kill’. Also joining Peter and John Friesen, the only two original band members left, were Miles Joseph(guitar/vocals) and Rusty Buchannan(bass).
After this album, the band members went their separate ways, and Peter decided to become a full time writer, leaving Player on the back burner.
In 2009, the band signed to Coallier Entertainment and was said to release a new CD
(2) A Techno collective with varying members including: Jon Nuccle, Mark Turner, Pete Simpson, Richard Wilkinson, the collective released material under their own label also known as Infamous Player.
(3) Amon Tobin (as Player) released a drill n' bass mash up of Slayer's Raining Blood and Angel of Death, simply called Angel of Theft.
I Will
Player Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's got me goin' crazy (crazy)
She's got me wrapped around her finger
She's got me goin' out of my mind (playin' all the time)
Willow is a player
She's got me goin' crazy (crazy)
She's got me wrapped around her finger
She's got me goin' out of my mind (playin' all the time)
Everytime I see her can't help but to smile (smile smile)
And everytime I touch her (touch her) she make me feel like a child (feel like a child)
She got me locked up
Got me locked - locked up
I do just about anything (anything) to stay on her good side (uoh uoh)
And when she want something (something) from me she won't be denied
Can't even go shopping (shopping) without buying her a gift
Every eye tied to her as she steps out the crib (steps out the crib)
She keeps me up all night (night) on my knees as I pray (pray)
Cause I can't sleep till (sleep till) I know she's okay
She got me locked up
Got me locked - locked up
Willow is a player
She's got me goin' crazy (crazy)
She's got me wrapped around her finger
She's got me goin' out of my mind (playin' all the time)
Willow is a player
She's got me goin' crazy (crazy)
She's got me wrapped around her finger
She's got me goin' out of my mind (playin' all the time)
I saw another man hold her
Just a friendly hello
I know it was nothing (nothing) but he took to long to let go (i think you better let her go)
Ow
Let my girl (girl) - girl (girl) go (go)
I try to be tough though (so strong)
Sometimes she makes me so mad (so mad)
Her eyes like diamonds (diamonds) make me forget she's so bad (she's so bad)
She's my angel (angel)
This world she's not of
Sent from the upstairs (upstairs)
Taught me that new kind of love (love love love)
I can't tell y'all (don't understand) what she means in my life (the world to me)
What make it so crazy (crazy), I met her through my wife
She got me locked up
Got me locked - locked up
Willow is a player
She's got me goin' crazy (crazy)
She's got me wrapped around her finger
She's got me goin' out of my mind (playin' all the time)
Willow is a player
She's got me goin' crazy (crazy)
She's got me wrapped around her finger
She's got me goin' out of my mind (playin' all the time)
In "I Will," Player sings about a woman named Willow who has a hold over him. The lyrics suggest that Willow is a player who knows how to manipulate and control him. He is so infatuated with her that he is willing to do anything to keep her happy, even if it means buying her gifts whenever she wants them. Willow has him wrapped around her finger, and he is unable to resist her charms. The lyrics suggest that their relationship is tumultuous, at times making him so mad that he forgets her bad qualities. However, he still considers her his angel and a new kind of love. The last verse suggests that he met Willow through his wife, which could add a layer of forbidden love to their relationship.
Overall, "I Will" portrays the complicated nature of relationships and how one person can have a hold over another. The lyrics suggest a mixture of love, frustration, and desperation. It also suggests that sometimes even a seemingly perfect relationship can have its difficulties.
Line by Line Meaning
Willow is a player
The woman named Willow is skilled at manipulating and keeping men under her influence
She's got me goin' crazy (crazy)
Willow's actions have caused the singer to become emotionally unstable
She's got me wrapped around her finger
Willow has complete control over the singer, causing him to do whatever she wants
She's got me goin' out of my mind (playin' all the time)
Willow's behavior constantly keeps the artist on edge, making him feel unstable and uncomfortable
Everytime I see her can't help but to smile (smile smile)
The artist feels happy and content in Willow's presence
And everytime I touch her (touch her) she make me feel like a child (feel like a child)
Being with Willow makes the singer feel young and carefree
She got me locked up
Willow has entrapped the singer, making it hard for him to break free from her control
I do just about anything (anything) to stay on her good side (uoh uoh)
The artist constantly strives to keep Willow happy so that she will continue to give him attention and affection
And when she want something (something) from me she won't be denied
Willow demands that the artist fulfill her wishes, and he feels powerless to refuse her
Can't even go shopping (shopping) without buying her a gift
The artist feels obligated to buy Willow gifts, even when he is doing something unrelated to her
Every eye tied to her as she steps out the crib (steps out the crib)
Willow is charismatic and draws attention to herself wherever she goes
She keeps me up all night (night) on my knees as I pray (pray)
The artist is constantly worried about Willow's safety and well-being, and prays for her to be okay
Cause I can't sleep till (sleep till) I know she's okay
The singer is so consumed by his feelings for Willow that he cannot relax until he knows she is alright
I saw another man hold her
The singer witnessed Willow being held by another man
Just a friendly hello
The singer believes the interaction between Willow and the other man was innocent
I know it was nothing (nothing) but he took to long to let go (i think you better let her go)
The artist became jealous and possessive upon seeing Willow being held by another man
Let my girl (girl) - girl (girl) go (go)
The artist demands that the other man let go of Willow
Her eyes like diamonds (diamonds) make me forget she's so bad (she's so bad)
Despite Willow's manipulative behavior, the singer is unable to resist her because of her physical attractiveness
She's my angel (angel)
The singer views Willow as someone who is very important and beneficial to him
This world she's not of
The artist thinks of Willow as someone who is different and special, not quite belonging in the world around her
Sent from the upstairs (upstairs)
The artist believes that Willow was sent by a higher power, and therefore has significance beyond the mortal realm
Taught me that new kind of love (love love love)
The artist has learned a new understanding of love through his relationship with Willow
I can't tell y'all (don't understand) what she means in my life (the world to me)
The singer is unable to fully express the depth of his feelings for Willow to others, since they wouldn't be able to understand
What make it so crazy (crazy), I met her through my wife
The artist met Willow through his wife, making their relationship even more complicated and unconventional
Contributed by Carson H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Johnny Corbett
Great band, Great song hats off to you guys !!!!!
PlanetAnton
This is a BRILLIANT song - melodic, and aggressive enough. Great lead & harmony singing, and great musicianship, too ! Never thought a guy from soap opera could rock, but this is proof. Nice Rick Turner Renaissance bass, and good playing on it. This song is same, but different from previous Player hits. "This Time I'm In It For Love" used to be the best to me, but now this is. Hope the song & album HITS !
Mike Verzi
Great song. I hope it gets the attention it deserves.
RockerMetal41
I'm digging the song a great video. Another killer gem from frontiers. Thanks guys. Ill have to lookout for this release.
duhardrock7
I love this song!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Darlene Krause Lang
Player is back and they are sounding as fine as ever! Great work guys!
Benjamin Blake Mitchner
Wow! Player are back and they sound amazing! This is one of the best things to have happened to me recently finding out that Player have reformed and Peter sounds wonderful! They also look really good and very healthy. This is what music is always supposed to be about everything without negativity. I tend to think a lyric is important and powerful so you have to put a good message into the words of a song. This is a very good message. I love Player!
rockne46
Awesome...Love it
Nette Graham
I love the video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You all sound awesome, as ususal. Peter your voice is so amazing. I've noticed that some artist their voices get raspy as they get older and don't song the same, but yours has only gotten better, your perfectly awesome!!!!!
Melodic Rock Italy
The song is in the perfect "Player style"... glad to see that this awesome band are back...